Has to be seen to be believed

Without wishing to be cruel to whoever made it, I 'm sure we do have some sympathy at least, for the attempt.

The real point at which the smiling stops, is that 'someone' is trying to sell it, as a boiler.

We all know how dangerous it becomes with that title attached to it.

Question is, does the buyer know ?

Please forgive me for knowing almost nothing about boilers, but as the firebox appears to be just a cavity with no water in it, where would the stays go?

Stays go between the flat inner firebox and the flat outer wrapper to stop the water space between distorting.

That's what I thought, but the advertised one is just a tube with ends and fire tubes running through it, I cannot see that if it was double skinned, that there would be more than 1/8" gap between the plates. I had assumed that it was solid.

I reckon the vendor has missed out a much needed comma, or two, which could have made the fact that it was made rather more descriptive than the advert indicates. Possibly short on writing skills, but more likely mis-leading on purpose.

And therin lies my unmentioned dilema. As a professional boiler maker I see how terrible this item is - If put under pressure it will simply distort and eventually fail - it wont explode, its not a bomb and it probably will fail at 15 psi....but its a terrible thing that is being passed off as well made. Do we have a duty of care to point this out or do we say nothing in the hope that nothing bad comes of it?

The underside of the boiler is the best way to see how it is made and the "generous" amount of solder around the bottom indicates that there is a need to join something as you would not need to solder a single skin.

Red lines show where the inner firebox side and the outside wrapper are so the two flat plates will ballon out if not tied together by stays, green dots indicate where they would likely have to be at a minimum possibly more.

The boiler is about the same size as a Minnie Traction Engine and this is how they are stayed

‘’but its a terrible thing that is being passed off as, well, made.”

That might be a better, more honest, way for him to put it! Well, it was made, but now the description reads as not necessarily well made - which it obviously is not.

Here is what the internet dictionary says. One of them will fit. But basically a seller looking for a mug to buy some rubbish, IMO:

exclamation

exclamation: well

1. used to express a range of emotions including surprise, anger, resignation, or relief.

   "Well, really! The manners of some people!"

   • used when pausing to consider one's next words, to mark the resumption or end of a conversation, etc.

     "well, I suppose I could fit you in at 3.45"

   • used to indicate that one is waiting for an answer or explanation from someone.

     "Well? You promised to tell me all about it"

[This posting has been removed]

Is there the possibility the vendor is a forum member? Or maybe a forum reader has whispered in his ear?